Volume 27, Number 1

28

Bull. Hist. Chem., VOLUME 27, Number 1  (2002)

Zinin graduated from Kazan’ University in 1833

with a gold medal as the most outstanding student in the

physics-mathematics faculty.  The title of his kandidat

[candidate’s] dissertation–“Perturbations of the Ellipti-

cal Movement of the Planets”–suggests his close rela-

tionship with Simonov, the astronomy professor.  Zinin’s

accomplishments had attracted the attention not only of

his professors, but also the administration of Kazan’

University, including Curator Musin-Pushkin.  Follow-

ing graduation, Zinin was kept on at the university for

advanced training in order to prepare him for a teaching

position.  In 1833, Zinin was appointed “repetitor” in

physics, assisting Professor Knorr, while the following

year he also taught astronomy in the absence of Profes-

sor Simonov, who was conducting research away from

Kazan’.  Later in 1834, Zinin assisted Simonov in this

research by collecting data on magnetic phenomena.

Also in 1834, after the move of Professor Brashman to

Moscow, Zinin also took over the teaching of hydro-

statics and hydrodynamics as well as an introductory

chemistry course.  Thus it seems clear that Zinin was

being groomed to teach physics or astronomy at Kazan’

University.

However, at this time the direction of Zinin’s ca-

reer changed dramatically.  Apparently, in 1835, the ad-

ministration of Kazan’ University–likely Curator Musin-

Pushkin–decided that Dunaev, the professor of chemis-

try, needed to be replaced, and he settled on Zinin to be

Dunaev’s replacement (9).  Zinin was relieved of his

other teaching duties and was ordered to teach only

chemistry “in support of Dunaev” (10).  Meanwhile

Zinin prepared for the extensive series of examinations

for the magistr [master’s] degree, which he passed in

April 1835.  The Sovet [Council] of the physics-math-

ematics faculty then gave Zinin the topic for his magistr

dissertation: “The phenomena of Chemical Affinity and

the Superiority of Berzelius’s Theory about Constant

Chemical Proportions over the Chemical Statics of

Berthollet.”  Upon defending this dissertation–purely a

literature investigation, with no laboratory work in-

volved–in October 1836, Zinin received the degree

magistr  of physical-mathematical sciences.  The uni-

versity quickly appointed Zinin as adjunct, and in early

1837 the curator requested permission from the Minis-

try of Education to send Zinin abroad for two year for

advanced training in chemistry.

The plan for Zinin’s training abroad was drawn up

by Curator Musin-Pushkin, presumably with Zinin’s

assistance (11).  The plan called for him to attend lec-

tures by Jöns Jacob Berzelius and Eilhard Mitscherlich,

both important chemists, but also nearing the end of their

influence.  Numerous other chemists were mentioned,

including Liebig, but the plan indicated that Zinin would

visit these chemists only for brief periods of time.  Based

on the information contained in this plan of study, it is

likely that Zinin’s conception of chemistry at this time

was formed by the ideas of Berzelius, probably derived

from his work on his magistr dissertation.  It is also pos-

sible that Zinin and the university administration relied

on Dunaev for information in order to draft the plan of

study.  The plans for Zinin’s study abroad did not in-

clude any provisions for conducting original research

or even any laboratory training whatsoever.  This was

not unusual, however, as few Russians conducted origi-

nal laboratory research for a magistr  degree until the

1850s and 1860s.  The curator was mainly concerned

with having Zinin learn enough while abroad to be able

to teach chemistry upon his return to Kazan’, and it is

evident that work in the laboratory was not part of the

original plan.

Zinin traveled to Berlin in September 1837 and

spent the first year of his study trip there attending lec-

tures in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and mineral-

ogy with Heinrich Rose, Eilhard Mitscherlich, and

Rudolph Fittig.  Zinin was not satisfied with these lec-

tures, though, believing them to be too elementary for

him to learn much of interest (12).  In addition to at-

tending lectures, he also visited mines, factories, and

various manufacturing plants near Berlin.  During the

spring of 1838, he traveled with some Berlin friends to

various cities in Germany, intending eventually to go to

Switzerland, France, and England.  However, while vis-

iting Giessen, Zinin was captivated by Liebig’s lectures,

and he decided to remain there until January 1839 to

work with Liebig.  It appears that Zinin did little labora-

tory research at this time since there was no room for

him in Liebig’s laboratory (13).

In the meantime, circumstances in Kazan’ changed,

which altered the objectives of Zinin’s study abroad.

Curator Musin-Pushkin had originally intended for Zinin

to take over the teaching of chemistry from Dunaev, but

in 1837–while Zinin was studying abroad–Karl

Karlovich Klaus (aka. Carl Ernst Claus) moved to Kazan’

(14).  Klaus had worked for many years as a pharmacist

in Kazan’ but had given up his business in order to ob-

tain a degree in chemistry at Dorpat University, with

the goal of becoming a professor of chemistry at a Rus-

sian university.  Curator Musin-Pushkin quickly recog-

nized that Klaus could easily fill the position of chemis-

try professor, while Zinin could then become professor

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